Two men acquitted of land theft charges

Two men, Lawal Ige and Ajiboye Ayinla Iroko, have been acquitted of charges related to land theft in Lagos State. The case was heard by the Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja, and the judgment was delivered on September 17, 2026. The defendants were charged with conspiracy, theft, forgery, and the use of false documents in relation to a 10.503-hectare parcel of land in Alimosho Local Government Area.

The prosecution alleged that the land, located in Igando Town near Idowu-Egba Village, belonged to Prince Osibote. However, the court held that the prosecution failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that Osibote owned the disputed land. The judge noted discrepancies in the description and location of the land, with Osibote describing it as being in Alimosho/Egbeda, while the land sold to Iroko was described as being at Abule Onilu/Igando.

The prosecution called three witnesses during the trial, but the judge found that these witnesses did not establish a meeting of minds between the defendants, which was necessary to prove conspiracy. Additionally, the court rejected the prosecution's reliance on transactions involving Iroko's account as sufficient evidence of conspiracy.

The judge also found that the prosecution failed to produce any title documents establishing Osibote's ownership of the land. Furthermore, the court rejected parts of the evidence relied upon by the prosecution as hearsay, noting that forgery is a serious criminal allegation that requires reliable evidence.

In conclusion, the Lagos State High Court discharged and acquitted Lawal Ige and Ajiboye Ayinla Iroko of all charges, as the prosecution was unable to prove their guilt beyond reasonable doubt.